Trolley-wire-holding rail



July 31, 1923. 1,463,420

K. C. HALE TROLLEY WIRE HOLDING RAIL "iled June 26, 1922 ljatented .luly 3l,

lAnliAZgil fifll imiillliltl'l" KENNETH c. or nnrnoir, MICHIGAN.

TRorlLEY-Wran-nonnrne RAIL.

Application filed June 26, 1922. Serial No. 570,814.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, KENNETH C. HALE, a citizen of the United. States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of. Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Trolley-llYire-rioiding Rails, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. The invention relates to electric trolley rails designed for use under bridges and in other places where the clearance above the car is restricted. t is usual to provide in such places a channeled conductor rail distinct from the trolley wire, which forms an electrical connection with the flanges of the trolley while passing under the structure. With my improved construction the trolley wire passes uninterruptedly beneath the structure in a position to be traversed by the trolley and is supported in such position by a continuously extended rail secured thereto. More particularly, theconstruction is one in which the supporting rail is 'a rolled section having flanges adapted to be closed about the section of .the trolley wire so as to be securely attached thereto. The invention therefore consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing a bringe structure to which my improvement is applied;

Figure 2 is a crass-section thereof; Figure 3 is a cross section of the rail as first rolled Ybefore engagement with the trolley wire.

is the bridge structure, which is indi cated as being for nedV of concrete but which may be of any suitable construction.l B is a strip of i1 pregnated wood or other insulating material, which is secured to the bot- "toni of the bridge A and extends between the opposite sides thereof. C `is a rail, prefer-` ably a rolled section having a base flange D, a depending central web E, thin flanges F projecting oppositely from the lower end of the web section, and a groovev G between said flanges forming a seat for thetrolley wire. This rail is arranged to extend continuously from one side of thebridge to the other, the flanges D being secured to the .strip B. The trolley wire H is rst placed in the groove G, after which the thin flanges F are bent to embrace the same, as shown in Figure 2. The operation of bending the `flanges may be performed by any suitable tool and, when complete, will hold the wire from displacement but with its lower face projecting below the rail. Thus the trolley passes from the portions of the wirev outside of the bridge directly into engagement with the rail C, the depth of the web of which is sufficient to permit thetrolley to continue into engagement with the wire while passing under the bridge. However, the fact that the rail is continuous will ferm of this portion of the trolley wire a rigid structure. Y

That claim as my invention is: il. The combination with a trolley wire, of a rail for supporting said wire whilepassing beneath a restricted clearance, said rail having a continuous webr forming a rigid *bearing for the wire.

2. The combination with a trolley wire, of

a rail for supporting said wire while passing beneath a restricted clearance, said rail being` provided with a continuous web aording a rigid bearing for the wire, and laterally extending flanges embracing the wire to retain the same. Y

3. The combination with a trolley wire, of `a rail for supporting said wire while passing beneath a restricted clearance, comprising a continuously extending web por ion forining a rigid bearing for the wire and relativey ly thin laterally extending flanges crimped about the wire to retainethe same. Y

4l. The combination with a trolley wire, of a rail for supporting said wire while passing beneath a restricted clearance, comprisa rolled section having a base or securing portion,` a depending web, and laterally extending flanges at the lower end of said rweb crimped about the wire to retain the same. l y 5. The'coinbination with bridge structure and a trolley wire, of a support for said trolley wire comprising a rail secured to said bridge structureand extending fromy one side thereof to the other and having means for gripping the trolley wire continu ously throughout its length.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature.

KENNETH. c. Hann soy 

